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Should We Be Content or Dream of a Better Life?

I have recently run into two different modes of thought about life, and they don’t necessarily agree. One is that you are happier when you are content with where you are and what you have. The other is that you should always be dreaming about something bigger and better, otherwise you’ll stay stuck where you are.

So which is it? Are you supposed to be content wherever you are and leave it at that? Or are you supposed to dream big? Isn’t the first one settling? Isn’t the second one unrealistic?

I think the answer depends on whether you’re already content with where you are and what you have. If you are, then maybe you should be content because the grass is probably not greener on the other side. For example, if you have a house, a spouse, a job, kids, and you’re reasonably content with all four…maybe it’s best to leave well enough alone and not get greedy.

But if you have none of these things (assuming those are things you want, I just used the “American dream” as an example), or you don’t have whatever it is that you need in your life…then it may be time to dream of a better life and try to make those dreams happen.

You can’t be content with “what is” unless your “what is” is what you’ve been trying to achieve. But if where you are isn’t where you need to be and a change is in order, then it’s time to work toward the future that you want, in whatever respect your current life isn’t bringing you what you need. Notice I say need instead of want. Sure, we all want to be rich enough to buy whatever we want, and we all want the best-looking partner in the world, and the smartest kids, a high-paying job, and so on. But can that really be everyone’s reality?

As Mick Jagger said, we don’t always get what we want. But we might get what we need. And that’s where the contentment phase takes over from the “wanting more” phase.

If we truly have what we need, it might be a good idea to be content with where we are in life. I don’t mean a “just scraping by” type of need, but that you have enough: enough food, enough money so that you can pay for your shelter and the things you need, and you have love in your life from some source. Maybe you don’t have everything you’ve always wanted (a fancy boat or vacation cabin, for instance) but you have everything you need so that you can say, “life is good.”

If you can truly say, “life is good” on a daily basis, then you can be content knowing you are in a good place in life. If that isn’t what you are feeling, however, then maybe it is time to dream of what your better life will look like, and work to make those dreams come true.